


Glass Whimseys

by orchidcactus



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-10 23:28:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/791418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orchidcactus/pseuds/orchidcactus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for a prompt: </p>
<p>
  <i>Thane takes Shepard on a visit to Kahje, showing her famous locales and favorite places.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Glass Whimseys

**Author's Note:**

> From Wiki: _Whimsey glass is work that is created for no useful purpose, so named as it is made on a whimsey of the glassmaker._

The bazaar is as Thane remembers it. Color and sound and smell. The crooked streets hung with bright streamers, the narrow side alleys jutting away, the shadows far less sinister than one might imagine. Merchants—drell and hanar alike—displaying their wares, the swirl of garments as the crowds pass around him, the shouts of children dodging feet and reprimands, food cooking at a dozen different stands.

Above, always, held back only by a delicate barrier of glass, the Encompassing. The fragility of the dome is for appearance only; the transparency of it allows light to filter through, hazy and shifting. The effect is that of water itself and the streets seem to be made of the sea.

It is a very beautiful, very clever, illusion.

There are memories here. Bright blue scales, contrasted against a bolt of silk. In the scent of fresh-cut flowers, stems held between slender fingers. In a smile at a tea-seller's counter. _'Do you suppose you'll try something new, ever?' she teases me._

The memories are pleasant. Irikah had loved the bazaar. They had come often.

And now. Now it is Shepard's smile that sparks warmth in his chest, now it is her touch on his wrist as she points and asks about local delicacies or trinkets. Now she is the one who barters ruthlessly with a merchant, until the poor man throws his hands in the air and concedes to throw in an additional satchel of _paalkor_ tea—no additional charge, of course.

She gives the merchant instructions to deliver it to the _Normandy_ , sliding a credit chit across the counter. Thane doesn't miss that it exceeds the full amount, that she turns from the counter before he can offer her change.

"For the delivery costs," she tells the vendor, over her shoulder.

When they step from the stand into the crowded street, she slips her arm through his. He glances at her, raising an eyeridge.

"What?" she asks. "Getting it to the ship will take time. Worth it to me."

He laughs, softly. He'd seen the two children playing on the bare floor behind the counter. The smaller of them had smiled at her, gap-toothed and dirty, before sticking his thumb in his mouth.

"I understand. The child had nothing to do with your decision," he says.

"Don't read too much into it. I just have a lot of the Illusive Man's credits to burn through."

"Ah. I see," he says, humming an overly sincere note of agreement. She rolls her eyes and laughs and he realizes she has not seemed this happy, this carefree, in a very long time.

He slides his arm from hers, so he can take her hand, and then, with a faint smile at her unspoken question, leads her into an alley.

She follows wordlessly, accepting his guidance. When he looks behind him, the shadows play over her features strangely. Darkening the color of her irises, softening curve of her lips, smoothing the pale scar across her cheekbone.

"Is this where we make out against a wall like teenagers?"

He laughs, shaking his head. "If you like."

"I'm regretting not bringing some of Mordin's tablets," she answers, squeezing his hand.

It takes some time to find the appropriate doorway. He is relying on instructions rather than memory.

She looks at him curiously, as he taps on the door, but he only shakes his head. "A surprise. For us both. A... contact recommended I visit, should I ever return to Kahje."

She raises an eyebrow at his hesitation, but says nothing, and then the hanar shopkeeper opens the door.

Inside, is a short, dim hallway, leading to an equally dark room. But inside this room, each piece set in its own lit, padded case, is the most remarkable collection of blown glass that Thane has seen. It is primarily hanar, but he recognizes pieces from throughout the galaxy.

Shepard gives him a surprised smile, and when the hanar gestures, steps through the door. Thane follows slowly behind, pausing to admire individual pieces.

His contact had not exaggerated. The creations here are spectacular. Exotic animals, and birds, and every manner of flower imaginable fill the cases. Abstract shapes glitter from their cushions of soft cloth. Pendents catch the light, refracting it into prisms that make Shepard grin when they dance across her face.

It only takes a moment for her to discover the objects which he had originally inquired of. Still, that she is drawn to them is somewhat amusing.

"What are these?" she asks, standing in front of a case. Above it, each hung by silver thread, are several glass objects. Each is longer than his hand, slender, with ribbons of glass sweeping from the sides, flowing gracefully behind.

The hanar ripples with color, but Thane shakes his head. He will explain.

He stops beside Shepard, hands folded in the small of his back, looking up at the graceful forms.

"What are they?" she asks again.

Her eyes trace the nearest shape, a confection of blue and smoky white crystal.

He nods, deliberately, and in his most deadpan voice, says, "You do not want to know."

The hanar colors with amusement. It takes several long moments before his words sink in. Then Shepard looks at him, head turning in a startled jerk.

"You're kidding, right?" she asks, voice dropping to an urgent whisper. "Tell me you're kidding."

He gives the slightest of shrugs, but a quirk of his mouth betrays him, and she snorts in return, shaking her head.

"Funny."

"They are models, Siha, of hanar ocean-going vessels. Heavily stylized, of course."

Thane nods to the shopkeeper and the hanar lifts the blue model from its thread, setting it on a black cloth on the counter between them.

"Model ships?" Shepard extends a hand hesitantly, fingertip brushing the edge of a trailing frond. She is reluctant, as though she might damage it. Her expression softens and she pulls her hand back, using it to tuck her hair behind her ear. "It's... beautiful."

"Yes," he says, watching her. It is a rare thing, to see her openness, her vulnerability. It is likely plain to even the shopkeeper how much she desires this fragile, spun glass ship. She touches it again, this time tracing the line of the nacelle housing.

"Thank you, for showing me." She smiles at him, stepping away. "We should probably start back."

He's puzzled, because now it is regret he sees so clearly. He had been certain she would purchase one of the models. Locating a seller had proven to be difficult. He feels a pang of disappointment at his judgment.

Then realization strikes him. They are soldiers. Their hands are meant for death, not for delicate glass. It disappoints and saddens him in ways he cannot shape into words that she would deny herself something such as this.

"Of course," is his only answer. He gestures for her to lead and after thanking the hanar, she starts for the door. Thane follows, only to stop short and turn.

The shopkeeper has the ship in his tentacles, but Thane stops him with shake of his head as he brings up his omni-tool. It takes only a matter of seconds to transfer the credits and to provide instructions for delivery.

The hanar's bioluminescence shifts to a light yellow as it thanks him. As Thane turns to leave, colors ripple across its skin. "This one approves of your choice."

He pauses. "You are not referring to the model."

The shopkeeper gently bows in a gesture of contrition. Thane chuckles, and replies with a candor he seldom allows others to see.

"It was not I who chose her."

END


End file.
